Looking Back to Look Forward: Imagination

Across the western side of Epcot from The Living Seas is Imagination.

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Imagination

Originally sponsored by Kodak, this pavilion was exactly what its name said: a journey into imagination.

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Looking Back into Imagination

Opening in March of 1993, the original omnimover ride was titled Journey Into Imagination and was hosted by Dreamfinder and Figment.  It was during this attraction that the tune “One Little Spark” was played.  Written by the Sherman Brothers, the song has been a favorite of Epcot fans for 35 years.  On the attraction, guests would visit the Dreamport where all the ideas are stored.  Guests were also taken through different rooms that represented art, literature, performing arts, and science.

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Journey Into Imagination was closed in October of 1998 to make way for a new attraction with a familiar name.  Journey Into Your Imagination opened in October 1999 and was hosted by Dr. Nigel Channing (Eric Idle).  Similar to the original attraction, Dr. Channing took guests on a tour of the Imagination Institute.  The rooms that guests would tour changed to sound, illusion, color, gravity, and connections.  

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Much to the dismay of Figment fans, the lovable fellow with two tiny wings, eyes big and yellow, and horns of a steer was reduced to a few cameos in the attraction.

In October of 2001, Journey Into Your Imagination closed once again to make way for new attraction with a still familiar name.  Journey Into Imagination with Figment opened in June 2002 with Figment returning as a host.  This go around, guest toured the Imagination Institute with Dr. Nigel Channing and Figment through the sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste labs.  

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Looking Back into ImageWorks

At the end of all three of the versions of Journey Into (Your) Imagination (with or without Figment), guests visited ImageWorks.  This area of the pavilion, located on the second floor, allowed guests to use their imaginations in what was described as “the creative playground of the future” in the original closing spiel of the attraction (without ‘your’ or ‘Figment’).  Some of the interactive areas of Image Works was Dreamfinder’s School of Drama where guests could step into different movie genres, all directed by the Dreamfinder and Stepping Tones, which allowed guests to create music by stepping on different colored panels.  

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In 1999, ImageWorks went under reconstruction and was reincarnated on the first floor of the pavilion outside of the attraction exit.  It was renamed the Kodak “What If?” Labs until 2010 when Kodak dropped its sponsorship and the name went to ImageWorks - The “What If” Labs.  The updated ImageWorks is less hands on than the original, focusing instead on computer interactions.

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Looking Back at the Magic Eye

The Magic Eye Theater was a 3-D theater located to the left of the entrance to Journey into whatever version of Imagination was going on at the time.  Since opening day, the theater has hosted three shows.

Walt's Dated World

The first show was titled Magic Journeys and explored a child’s imagination.  During the film, the child’s toys became a real life circus.  Magic Journeys featured a song by the same title that was written by the Sherman Brothers.  The Sherman Brothers also wrote the song in the pre-show to the film, titled “Makin’ Memories.”

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The second film at the theater was Captain EO, which arrived in 1986.  It was a musical space fantasy involving aliens and starred Michael Jackson as the title character  (It is as 80s as that description sounds).  The film was produced by George Lucas and Rusty Lemorande and directed by Francis Ford Coppola.  Jackson wrote the two songs featured in the film - “We Are Here to Change the World” and “Another Part of Me.”

Oh, and did you know that "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" were used in the film?  You didn't?  Oh, well that’s what Jared, Joe, and Jenn said on The Mouse Know Best Podcast...  

Yesterland

The final film at the Magic Eye theater was Honey, I Shrunk the Audience in 1994.  This film was based off the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids movie franchise.  Guests entered the theatre for the Inventor of the Year award, which Professor Wayne Szalinski was to be presented.  Through a series of events, he accidentally uses his new invention to miniaturize the whole audience.

Morrison Hotel Gallery

After Michael Jackson’s death in 2009, it was decided that Captain EO would make a return to the Magic Eye Theater.  The tribute ran from 2010 to 2015, when it was replaced by the Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival.

Laughing Place

Looking Forward with Imagination

The last time the Imagination Pavilion underwent a major renovation/update was in the early 2000s, and it's time to bring our imaginations into 2017.  There has been some speculation that an Inside Out themed attraction could find its home at the pavilion, and honestly, I think that would be a great idea.  It could keep the same structure as the current attraction while it educates and entertains.  Of course, I don’t want to see Figment ripped completely from the pavilion, so it would be cool if they went inside the brain of Figment to see his emotions.  I think this would satisfy old school Epcot lovers as well as the next generations of Epcot lovers. After all, Figment made an appearance in Inside Out.

Entertainment Weekly

I also think it’s time for a new show at the Magic Eye Theater.  The last thing Disney needs to do is turn this into a preview center for its upcoming movies.  They need to focus on recreating a Magic Journeys-esque film about Imagination.  After all, it’s what the pavilion is named for, so I think it’s time we use it and learn about it.

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On that note, the ImageWorks area of the pavilion also needs an update.  Think of all the technology that has been invented since the early 2000s.  Much like Innoventions could be, this place could be an area where new ideas and inventions are on display for guests to interact with.  Maybe we can see the inside of a laptop or cell phone and try to build one ourselves virtually.  The possibilities are endless when we use our imaginations.

Rapunzel's Crafts

It only takes one little spark of inspiration to enhance this pavilion.

Robyn Fleenor is a contributing writer for The Mouse Knows Best Podcast. She is an avid Disney fanatic and would rather be at Walt Disney World eating glazed almonds than anything else.  When she isn't working to pay for her next Disney vacation, she likes to binge watch TV shows and fall in love with fictional characters. She can be found tweeting at @rahrah6263.

Looking Back to Look Forward: The Living Seas

Heading left from The Land, we arrive at The Living Seas pavilion.  Welcome to Seabase Alpha.

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The Living Seas

At 5,700,000 gallons, The Living Seas pavilion is home to the second largest saltwater tank in the world (behind only the Georgia Aquarium).

Laughing Place

Looking Back

The Living Seas pavilion opened in 1986, although it had been a planned pavilion since the beginning.  In the original pavilion, guests first saw a film - simply titled The Seas - which showed how the oceans were formed ("And they rained...and rained...and rained").  Guests would then board a Hydrolator, which would take them to Seabase Alpha and then ride omnimoving Seacabs through the coral reef.  Although the Hydrolators gave the impression that they were going down into the ocean, guests actually remained on the same level the entire time.  Once at Seabase Alpha, guests were able to explore exhibits with fish, dolphins, and manatees.

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In 1998, the original sponsor of the pavilion, United Technologies, pulled it sponsorship.  Over the next six years, attendance began to decline.  The Seacabs were taken away in 2001, and guests were also given the option to skip the film.  It was during this time that The Living Seas received the nickname “The Dead Seas.”

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Finally in December 2003, The Walt Disney Company began to re-theme the pavilion to be based off of the successful Pixar film Finding Nemo.  Over the new couple of years, Nemo and his gang made themselves at home in The Living Seas.  Turtle Talk with Crush was the first Nemo-themed attraction to open at the pavilion, and its surprise success made the pavilion a must-visit once again.

Walt Disney World

On August 21, 2005, the pavilion closed for a renovation when it transformed into The Seas with Nemo & Friends.  Parts of the pavilion reopened in November of the same year with noticeable changes to the facade of the building where depictions of Nemo and his friends could now be seen in the murals.  The exit Hydrolators had also been removed and Seabase Alpha was re-themed to Finding Nemo.

WDW Ride Guide

The Seas with Nemo & Friends was rededicated on January 24, 2007.  When the pavilion completely reopened, it featured a new Clamobile attraction that took guests on an omnimover style ride through the story of Finding Nemo.  Similar to its predecessor, the ride concluded inside the tank.  The different exhibits inside the pavilion were also re-themed to Nemo.  Outside the pavilion, three audio-animatronic seagulls were added, and the trio periodically flap their wings and say “Mine! Mine! Mine!” just like in the hit film.

WDW Info

The re-theming of The Living Seas pavilion to The Seas with Nemo & Friends marked the first time a Disney animated movie property had its own pavilion.  It was also only the second time an Epcot attraction featured characters from a movie, with Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable being the first.

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Looking Forward

Like many of the opening day themes of the pavilions, The Living Seas entertained, informed, and inspiring as it taught guests about the ocean, the animals that live in them, and man's impact on them.  Now, I feel The Seas with Nemo & Friends is focused on only one thing: Nemo.  

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I believe it’s time to get back to educating guests about the oceans and how we can help them.  In a world that is becoming increasingly smaller every day, we need to all know how to protect the natural world around us, and the oceans are no exception.  I would love to see a more dominate exhibit on recycling and how plastic and other items are detrimental to wildlife.  Disney already does such a great job with conservation that I think it’s time to bring that back to the pavilion.   

On a lighter note, I think it would be fun for them to re-theme the pavilion to be the Marine Life Institute.  It would not only incorporate the newest installment to the Nemo franchise with Finding Dory, but it would also give them a chance to bring more education into the pavilion. The dolphin research experience at the pavilion is so fun to watch for kids of all ages, and I believe more of that interaction will only increase guest attendance to the pavilion.

Raising Whasians

It’s a big blue world out there, and it’s time for us to learn all about it once again.

Robyn Fleenor is a contributing writer for The Mouse Knows Best Podcast. She is an avid Disney fanatic and would rather be at Walt Disney World eating glazed almonds than anything else.  When she isn't working to pay for her next Disney vacation, she likes to binge watch TV shows and fall in love with fictional characters. She can be found tweeting at @rahrah6263.

Looking Back to Look Forward: The Land

Walking through CommuniCore West, we find ourselves standing in front of The Land pavilion.  

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The Land

It is here that millions of guests have learned about how humans interact with Mother Earth.  The pavilion was originally sponsored by Kraft Foods until 1992 when the sponsorship switched to Nestle.  At six acres in size, The Land pavilion is the largest pavilion at Epcot.

Yesterland

Looking Back

After Tony Baxter left The Land project to work on the Imagination pavilion, it was up to Imagineer Rolly Crump and his team to come up with the new plans for pavilion.  Crump and his team came up with the glass pyramid design that the pavilion has today.  The new plans also featured a mural that represents entering the earth’s core.  The Land featured three attractions when it first opened.  

Walt Dated World

One was a boat ride through the greenhouses called Listen to the Land.  In the beginning, the greenhouses were supposed to be a temporary feature.  However, it was later decided they would remain a permanent fixture at the pavilion.  Very little has changed to this attraction since opening day.  The opening scene was changed from a stylized look at the growth of plants to the storm scene, and the Biotechnology Lab was relocated to the Creative Greenhouse.  The ride’s live narration was also replaced with an automated guide and the theme song Listen to the Land was removed.  

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Another attraction at The Land was the Harvest Theater, which was located on the first floor of the pavilion.  From opening to early 1995, the theater featured an 18-minute environmental film called Symbiosis.  The film showed positive and negative aspects of human interactions with the land.  Symbiosis was replaced with the Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable featuring characters from The Lion King.  

Fronterland Station

The final attraction at The Land was The Kitchen Kabaret Revue, an audio-animatronic musical revue and comedy show that focused on nutrition.  The 14-minute show was hosted by Bonnie Appetite who introduced the acts that focused on meat, dairy, grains, and fruits and vegetables.  Kitchen Kabaret featured acts from Stars of the Milky Way, the Cereal Sisters, Hamm & Eggz, and the Colander Combo with the Fiesta Fruit.  It was replaced in 1994 with Food Rocks, which was an updated version of the show meant to draw in younger crowds.

Stuff From the Park

The Land pavilion also featured a large food court on the first level called The Farmer's Market and a rotating restaurant on the second floor called The Good Turn Restaurant.  In the late 1980s, The Good Turn Restaurant was renamed The Land Grille Room, and it would later be renamed to Garden Grille.  In 1994, The Farmer’s Market was replaced with The Sunshine Season Food Fair.

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In the early 2000s, The Land underwent a major renovation, which included the addition of Soarin’ Over California as well as some cosmetic updates to the entire pavilion.  Soarin’ was an opening day attraction for Disney’s California Adventure and found it’s way to Epcot during the Year of a Million Dreams.  The attraction was an instant hit at Epcot, and it would (finally) receive a much needed update in 2016 when the attraction changed to Soarin’ Around the World.

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Looking Forward

When the Imagineers were designing The Land, they did so with human interaction with the land as its core message.  The pavilion was designed to teach as well as entertain guests about their impact - both positive and negative - on the land.  However, much of that seems to have been forgotten over the years with the exception of Living with the Land, which still holds true to the original theme of the pavilion.

The Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable needs an update so badly it is almost begging for it.  So much has changed in the way of our impact on the land and how we can help the land that it needs to be told more effectively on the big screen.  Disney can use characters from recent movies (Moana talking about the ocean, maybe?) to update the film and bring in new audiences to educate and entertain.

Soarin’ Around the World brings in so many guests a day just for that single attraction, and if there were more for them to do in The Land, they would stay longer.  Having a new film with new characters would be just what The Land needs.  That and a reboot of the Kitchen Kabaret so everyone can learn about veggie veggie fruit fruits.

Walt Disney World

It’s time to make believe we’re a tiny little seed and listen to The Land once again.

Robyn Fleenor is a contributing writer for The Mouse Knows Best Podcast. She is an avid Disney fanatic and would rather be at Walt Disney World eating glazed almonds than anything else.  When she isn't working to pay for her next Disney vacation, she likes to binge watch TV shows and fall in love with fictional characters. She can be found tweeting at @rahrah6263. 

Looking Back to Look Forward: CommuniCore

From Spaceship Earth, we move to the two semi-circular buildings directly behind the geosphere which was known as CommuniCore.

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CommuniCore

CommuniCore, short for Community Core, was an opening day pavilion at EPCOT Center that focused on the technological advances of the world.  The two buildings were known as CommuniCore East and West and featured rotating exhibits on technology.

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Looking Back to the East

Since CommuniCore opened in the 1980s at the beginning of the computer boom, most of the rotating exhibits focused on educating visiting guests on computers.  The main exhibit of CommuniCore East was a tour through the computer hub of EPCOT Center called EPCOT Computer Central.  The tour was called the Astuter Computer Revue and featured a song called “The Computer Song,” which was penned by the Sherman Brothers.  In 1984, the show was replaced with Backstage Magic, which demonstrated how Audio-Animatronics worked.

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CommuniCore also featured an interactive robot named SMRT-1 and several games that varied from putting together parts of a flag in Manufactory to Compute-a-Coaster that allowed guests to build their own roller coaster.  In the Travelport section of the CommuniCore East, guests could visit vacation stations and use touch screens to see slide shows of various destinations.  The Electronic Forum area of CommuniCore featured News Choice Theater where several televisions played various news from sports, business, and even the Disney Parks.  Near the Universe of Energy, there was Energy Exchange which educated guests on offshore drilling, coal, and oil shale.

The Kingdom Insider

In addition to the exhibits, CommuniCore East also housed two restaurants.  Stargate Restaurant served breakfast, lunch, and dinner while the Beverage Base served popcorn, fresh fruit, and beverages.

The Kingdom Insider

The largest gift shop at EPCOT Center was the Centorium and was also located in CommuniCore East.  The Centorium was a two level shop that included a large assortment of EPCOT Center and Disney themed merchandise.  Guests could take a glass elevator up to the second floor where everything from watches to Team Mickey sports clothes to Art of Disney merchandise were sold over the years.  In 1999, the Centorium was moved to Innoventions West while Mouse Gears was being built.

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Looking Back to the West

CommuniCore West housed several exhibits that focused on the way people communicated.  FutureCom, which was sponsored by Bell System and then AT&T, included the Information Fountain which showed different ways of communication such as newspapers, radios, televisions, magazines, telephones, and more.  There was a hands-on computer game called Age of Information that allowed guests to follow the flow of a long distance call.

The Kingdom Insider

The featured show at CommuniCore West was Expo Robotics.  The show featured Pixel, a stunt performing robot.  There were also robots in CommuniCore West that would sketch portraits for guests and robots that would airbrush Disney characters onto t-shirts.

CommuniCore West was also a place where concept plans for future pavilions and exhibits were displayed for guests to see at EPCOT Outreach.  There was also a Teacher Center where education materials were sold.

Disney Detail

The main restaurant at CommuniCore West was the Sunrise Terrace Restaurant, which later became Pasta Pizza and Fountainview Espresso & Bakery.  Upon the closing of these two eateries, an ice cream shop would be put into the space.  Eventually, the Epcot Character Spot and Club Cool would fill in the rest of the space in CommuniCore West.

Walt Disney World

Looking Forward

In 1994, CommuniCore was closed and rebuilt into Innoventions East and Innoventions West.  Over the years, Innoventions has hosted a variety of exhibits from Lego, GE, IBM, and Disney Interactive.  However, aside from the Electric Umbrella, Mouse Gears, Club Cool, and the Character Spot, Innoventions East and West still seem to be a big chunk of unused potential.  

I think it is time Disney updates this pavilion, bringing it back to it’s early days of glory.  It needs to be a place where people can learn about the latest technology, ways to conserve energy, and about the newest ways to communicate.  Technology is growing at such a rapid rate that having a place where guests can learn about all of that seems to make perfect sense at Epcot.  

After all, Walt Disney once said that “(he doesn’t) believe there’s a challenge anywhere in the world that’s more important to people everywhere than finding solutions to the problems of our cities. But where do we begin… how do we start answering this great challenge?”  I believe we can start to answer these questions by bringing back the exhibits at Innoventions East and West that will inspire the future generations to make the world a better place.

Robyn Fleenor is a contributing writer for The Mouse Knows Best Podcast. She is an avid Disney fanatic and would rather be at Walt Disney World eating glazed almonds than anything else.  When she isn't working to pay for her next Disney vacation, she likes to binge watch TV shows and fall in love with fictional characters. She can be found tweeting at @rahrah6263. 

Looking Back to Look Forward: Spaceship Earth

Walt Disney’s dream of an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow came to life in October 1982 with the opening of the second Florida theme park for The Walt Disney Company.  Throughout the years, Epcot has experienced changes from the name of the park to its attractions.  Over the next few weeks, I’ll be discussing each of the original pavilions at EPCOT Center.  We will take a look at the history of the pavilion as well as a look into its current state and beyond.

Disney Avenue

As Walt Disney once said, “(EPCOT) will be a community of tomorrow that will never be completed but will always be introducing and testing, and demonstrating new materials and new systems. And EPCOT will always be a showcase to the world of the ingenuity and imagination of American free enterprise."

Walt Disney World

Spaceship Earth

Spaceship Earth is the iconic geodesic sphere that serves as the symbol of Epcot.  The structure was designed with the help of Ray Bradbury, a science fiction writer who also helped write the original story line for the attraction.  The attraction is a 15-minute dark ride through the history of human communication via an omnimover system.  Since it’s opening, Spaceship Earth has had four narrators: Lawrence Dobkin, Walter Cronkite, Jeremy Irons, and Judi Dench.

Malloryland

Looking Back

Just four years after its opening, Spaceship Earth experienced its first renovation where its sponsor became AT&T and the iconic ‘Tomorrow’s Child’ song became the finale music to the attraction.  In 1994, the attraction closed again for major renovations to update the several scenes and introduce a new score by Edo Guidotti as well as a new narrator, Jeremy Irons.

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For the Millennium Celebration, The Walt Disney Company added a Mickey Mouse arm holding a wand saying ‘2000’ over Spaceship Earth.  In 2001, the ‘2000’ was replaced with ‘Epcot’ and remained perched on the side of Spaceship Earth until 2007 when it was finally removed.

While the wand was being removed, the attraction also went under another renovation to include new scenes, a new musical score by Bruce Broughton, new narration by Judi Dench, and a new sponsorship from Siemens.  This update also introduced the a new interactive ending to the attraction where riders can choose their own version of the future to live in.

Walt Disney World

Looking Forward

It has been nearly ten years since Spaceship Earth has undergone a major renovation, but with the new updates coming to Epcot, it’s safe to assume that they have something up their sleeve for Spaceship Earth as well.  After all, the history of communication part of the attraction ends with the invention of the personal computer.  Look at how far we have come since then!  There are so many possibilities for an updated Spaceship Earth, and I am anxious to see what the future will hold.

Following every renovation in the past, there has also been the introduction of a new musical score and new narrator, so it’s safe to assume that a new narrator and score could be on the horizon.  Personally, I would love for "Tomorrow’s Child" to be incorporated back into the attraction in some way.  As for narrators, I just hope they stay away from some flash-in-the-pan artist and go with a Disney Legend or Tom Hanks.

Robyn Fleenor

Like a grand and miraculous spaceship, Spaceship Earth has been educating and entertaining guests of all ages for almost thirty-five years.  We may not know what will happen next to our beloved attraction, but if history repeats itself, the next renovation will still tell the story of our ancestors as well as what our future could be like. 

Robyn Fleenor is a contributing writer for The Mouse Knows Best Podcast. She is an avid Disney fanatic and would rather be at Walt Disney World eating glazed almonds than anything else.  When she isn't working to pay for her next Disney vacation, she likes to binge watch TV shows and fall in love with fictional characters. She can be found tweeting at @rahrah6263.